Spartans Never Die
by Crymson Onyx
Summary: WARNING! Major SPOILER alert. The events which occur in this story are from the VERY end of Halo: Reach. DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Halo, Halo: Reach, characters, races, or even trademark weapons in this story.


**So I just started playing the Halo series, and I just finished Reach the other day, and I just had to write about Six, because she/he doesn't really express anything when they die, so you have no idea what she/he is thinking. Enjoy!**

**Spartans Never Die**

I start fighting, trying to get to the big gun as fast as I can, and trying not to focus on the huge Covenant Cruiser in the distance.

More Drop Ships fly by the closer I get, sending Brutes and Elites, wave after wave.

Finally, somehow, I manage to reach the mass driver emplacement, hopping in and immediately taking down Banshees and Phantoms.

"Fire now, Lieutenant!" I hear Captain Keyes over the comm. I glance up at the dark-purple ship, slowly inching its way through our skies. I charge up the power and shoot at the glowing red dot for all this gun is worth, just as the clouds start burning.

"Direct hit," I say aloud. I watch as tiny explosions erupt from the Cruiser, the once-menacing ship completely destroyed in a matter of seconds.

"Good guns, Spartan!" Keyes tells me. "All stations brace for cast off!"

I climb out of the massive gun, and slowly make my way to the ground as the Pelican takes the Captain to his own ship, Pillar of Autumn.

I try not to think about what's going to happen, so I silently watch them instead, as Noble Team would have done.

Autumn's engines roar to life, ascending into the heavens, away from the destruction of Reach. My only chance, my only hope of life, flying away.

"A girl does what she must," I say quietly to myself.

"_I know we're losing. I want to know if we've lost"._

I remember Kat, how she was killed without a chance, how she died honorably by a cowardice alien. I was starting to consider her a friend... And pulling her into the elevator…

"_I'll do what's necessary, sir...good luck."_

I think of Jun, who I hope got safely off of Reach. Not everyone has to die in war.

I start making my way towards the more open area of the now-wasteland; knowing there are more Covenant down there.

_"Listen, Reach has been good to me. Time has come to return the favor. Don't deny me this." _

I placed his dog tags around my own the moment I hit land, honored to have served with him.

"_Tell 'em to make it count."_

I can hardly see anything, the dust flying around makes it almost impossible to see past the green and red of enemy fire.

"_You're on your own Noble… Carter out." _

A fitting end for an honorable man, who went down with his ship. I finally see some Elites, whip out my Battle Rifle, and let it loose, my eyes filling with tears. Rare for soldiers I hardly knew.

"_I'm ready… How 'bout you!?" _

Emile's last words buzz around in my head like the rest of the fallen members from Noble Team. They gave up everything to reach this point. And I knew, from the moment I saw that Cruiser coming in, that this is where I belong.

Reach is where I began, and it will be where I end.

My helmet starts to crack as Elite after Elite go down, Brute after Brute. Finally a Zealot comes and punches my helmet in all the way with his Energy Sword, grazing my face. I take it off and throw it on the ground; switching to my pistol as my Rifle becomes dead weight.

I've long hit the point of exhaustion, but I keep going, the pain in my entire body increasing from all the hits I take. My shields are now useless and broken, and my armor is battered and bloody.

I make my final stand next to where I tossed my helmet, and I can feel Jorge's dog-tags clinking against my own. I'm aware that with every pull of the trigger, and every movement, is slower than the last.

Two Elite Zealots lunge at me through the haze, and I kill them both, only to be knocked down by another, my pistol flying out of my hands.

It was out of ammo anyway.

I punch and kick at the Covenant, determined to go down fighting, tears streaming freely down my face as I realize the planet must be almost completely glassed by now.

I'm swarmed by Elites, and one manages to pin me down. A high ranking red one appears and prepares to plunge his sword into my chest.

"I almost respect you for taking down so many of us alone… But your destruction is the will of the gods, and we ... We are their instrument."

He raises his sword with both hands; I almost miss the triumphant look on his face because of all the blood in my eyes.

I know, now is my time. My body is broken, my armor cracked, my shields long since gone. I look over at my helmet, partially on it's side in the red soil. It's visor cracked beyond repair, it's pure silver color scorched and stained with my own blood.

I look up through the dust and haze at the burning sky and red clouds. I mourn the loss of Reach, and the victory of our enemy, but I know that with the package safely delivered with it's captain and the Pillar of Autumn far out in space, I know we will recover. Reach will recover.

I close my tear-filled eyes as he stabs downward, shattering my armor, and destroying my heart.

My eyes still closed, I imagine Reach as it once was; a cool blue sky over my head, the wind blowing, rich flowers overflowing with nectar, and the beautiful landscape…

As the world melts away, as all but one Noble falls, I finally understand the meaning of dying alone.

But, then again, Spartans never die…


End file.
